Lighting-fixture.



E. M. SMITH- 1 LIGHTING FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1916.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. M. SMITH.

LIGHTING FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1|. 1916.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

22' Eli. 5

ESMOND M. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIGHTING-FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed February 11, 1916. Serial No. 77,635.

The present invention has to do with improvements in lighting fixtures.

The features of the invention are very well adapted for use in connection with lighting fixtures intended for indirect 1ll1 1- mination, and especially for comblned direct and indirect illumination, but it will presently appear that certain of the features are also very well adapted for use in fixtures intended for other classes of illumination.

In theindirect system of illumination in which the light or a portion of the light is thrown against the cei ing so as to primarily or initially illuminate the same, there is a tend'ency for said portion of the light to cast on the ceiling halations or shadows of intervening objects. When this portion of the light comes directly from the llghtlng element such tendency is greatly enhanced because the probability that said halatlons or shadows will be brought to focus on the ceiling is thereby increased. Such halations or shadows are very objectionable not only because of their unsightly appearance on the ceiling, but also because they tend to render the illumination of the ceiling uneven and of variable character.

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to so construct the fixture that no shadows or halations of intervening objects can be cast upon the ceiling, and to accomplish this result by the use of diffused light as distinguished from direct light thrown upon the ceiling.

Another benefit or advantage followlng from this arrangement is that the distribution curve of density of illumination of the difierent portions of the ceiling is thereby greatly improved, so that the character of the illumination is correspondingly 1mproved.

Another feature of the invention has ref erence to the construction of the fixture and shades in such form as to eliminate or prevent the formation of shadows on the shade or diffusing screen, and this result I am enabled to accomplish by placing said shade or diffusing screen between the source of illumination and the chains or arms wherei by the bowl is supported.

Another feature of the invention has reference to the provision of a mechanical construction such that the relationship between the source of illumination and the diffusing screens can be so adjusted from time to time either in the same or different fixtures as to insure a complete cut-oft of direct light from the ceiling, even when the upper portion of the fixture is not entirely closed by the shade.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows a-side elevation of a fixture embodying the features of the present invention, the central portion of said fixture being broken away so as to shorten up the figure, and a portion of the lower bowl or screen being broken away so as to better reveal the interior construction; Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the structure of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a lan View of the fixture, being a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the several figures the lighting element is designated by the numeral 4:. Beneath said element is a bowl 5 which may be of any one of a number of familiar forms. It may be purely a reflector of opaque material, in which case the fixture will operate purely on the indirect system, or it. may be of translucent material, in which case the fixture will operate on the combined direct and indirect system. A very satisfactory form of the bowl 5 is one: formed in substantially the shape illustrated, made from translucent material, capable of transmitting a difiused light but not capable of transmitting a direct light. In such case it is frequently desirable to form the upper or interior surface of this bowl as a reflecting surface, so as to increase the percentage of light which will bethrown upwardly.

- Above the source of illumination is placed the auxiliary shade 6. This shade is preferably formed of translucent material which will diffuse the light passing through it, but will not permit the passage of direct rays,

I and willtherefore be incapable of throwing halations or shadows. Some means must'be i 'providedlfor"supporting the bowl 5, and the v particular arrangeme'nti'illustrated said means'takes theform of a plurality of arms, 7, Sand 9.] It will be observed that these arms lie above the shade 6, and therefore theyare subject to the influence of diifused rays as distinguished from direct rays, and

therefore shadows or'halations of said arms will not be thrown upon the ceiling above.

The lower edge 10 of the shade 6 prefer- H ably lies beneath the upper edge 11 of the includin bowl 5. Therefore, Whenever the center of illumination lies below the surface of a cone, the edges 10 and 11, direct rays I will be t rown past said edges onto the cellacollar orthe like 16.

ing, whereas Whenever said center illumination is raised above said surface the direct rays will be cut ofi from the ceiling and the only, light which will be able to reach the ceiling-will be diffused light, chiefly from the bowl 5.

The particular mechanical construction illustrated includes the stem 12, the upper end of which is secured to the ceiling in any suitable manner. At its lower end the stem 12 carries a bushing 13 within whichworks freely a nipple or the like 14. The vertical position of said nipple can be adjusted from time to time by "means of set screws 15 rounds thesocket, the upper end 19 of said bell resting on an annular projection 20 of thebushing 13. The bell 18 extends downwardly a substantial distance, and its lower I end is provided with a plurality of perforations 21. -A"removable collar 22 surrounds the. lower-end of. the bell 18, the lower end of said collar 22'being provided with thumb screws .or the like 23, which are adaptedto engage the annular shoulder 24 of the shade 6.

"lar 1s provided wlth perforations register- Theupper portion of the removable coling with the perforations 21 of the bell 18,

so that, when boththe collar and bell are in each of the arms Z, 8 and 9 is provided with cooperative position, the perforations of the two comeinto registry. The upper end of an inturned hook 25 which is adapted to extendthrough corresponding perforations of I the collar and bell. Each of said hooked portions is so formed that itmay be hooked into a pair of the registeredf'perforations by raising the outer end of the arm, afterwhich,

upon lowering said outer end into the position shown in Figs. 1 and2,the hooked portion will so engage the inner surface of .bowl.

theybell 18 as to prevent removal of the said arm vvh ile at the same time lockin the collar and bell together. In this way t e hooked portion servesnot only to support or sustain .the load imposed by thearm, but also serves cessed portion 28' of the bowl 5. In this way several arms carry the weight of the If desired, set screws 29 may be provided for locking the pins 27 in the desired position. a

The above described or any equivalent construction, is very well adapted for use with bowls of different sizes, inasmuch as the pins 27 may be adjusted to an desired size of bowl. In addition to the oregoing different sizes of shades 6 may be used within the limits imposed by the configuration of the arms, so that the above described mechanical construction is very well adapted for use in different sizes and styles of completed fixture without change or alteration other than the inward and outward adjustment of the pins 27. It will also be noted that in the foregoing arrangement the structure which supports the bowl 5 'is mounted above the shade 6, and by making said shade of diffusing character the aforementioned advantages of elimination of shadows or halations is secured. This feature may also be secured in combination with the vertical adjustability of the source of illumination so as to cut off the exit of any direct rays of light from the source of illumination past the shade and bowl.

I claim:

1. In a lighting unit of the semi indirect type the combination with a suitable supporting fixture, of alighting element carried by the lower end thereof, a plurality of supporting arms extending radially outward from said supporting fixture above the lighting element, a diffusing shade between the lightin element and said arms, and a concave bow beneath the lighting element, said bowl having its concave surface facing upwardly and having its periphery connected to said arms and supported thereby, said bowl having the property of diffusing liglht which passes throughit and having 1: e property of reflecting light from 1ts upper concave surface, the-.periphcry of the bowl being of greater size than the periphery of the shade to thereby pro 1,197,962 zeal vide an annular opening between the shade and the bowl, whereby a portion of the light rays striking the upper surface of the bowl are reflected upwardly and pass outwardly between the shade and the bowl, substantially as described.

2. In a lighting unit of the semi indirect type, the combination with a suitable supporting fixture, of a lighting element beneath the lower end thereof, a plurality of supporting elements extending radially outward from said supporting fixture above the lighting element, a diffusing shade between the lighting element and said supporting element, a concave bowl beneath the lighting element, said bowl having a concave surface facing upwardly and having its periphery connected to said support ing elements and supported thereby, said bowl having the property of difl'using light which passes through it and having the property of reflecting light from its upper concave surface, the periphery of the, bowl being of greater size than the periphery of the shade to thereby provide an annular opening between the .shade and the bowl, whereby a portion of the light rays striking the upper surface of the bowl are reflected upwardly and pass outwardly between the shade and the bowl, and means for adj usting the lighting element in a vertical direction with respect to the shade and the bowl, substantially as described.

3. In a lighting unit, the combination with a suitable supporting fixture, of a lighting element beneath the lower end thereof, a plurality of supporting elements lying in vertical planes extending radially outward from said supporting fixture, said supporting elements being above the lighting element, a dilfusing shade between the lighting element and the supporting elements, a concave bowl beneath the lighting element and having itsconcave surface facing upwardly, supporting connections between the supporting elements and the bowl, the periphery of the bowl being of greater size than the periphery of the shade to there by provide an annular opening between-the shade and the bowl, the bowl having the property of diffusing light rays passing through its body and of reflecting a portion of the light rays striking its upper surface, whereby the light rays so reflected pass upwardly and outwardly between the shade and the bowl, substantially as described.

4:. In a lighting unit, the combination of a lighting element, a plurality of supporting elements lying in vertical planes extendin radially outward with respect to said lig%1ting element, said supporting elements being above the lighting element, a light transmitting and diflusing shade between the lighting element and the supporting elemen-ts, and a light transmitting bowl beneath the lighting element and connected to the supporting elements, said bowl having its periphery of greater size than the periphcry of the shade to thereby provide an annular opening between the shade and the bowl, whereby light rays coming from the lighting element and passing upwardly from the upper surface of the bowl pass outwardly through said annular space, substantially as described.

5. .In a lighting unit, the combination of a lighting element, a plurality of supporting elements lying in vertical planes extending radially outward with respect to the lighting element, said supporting elements being partially above the lighting element,

a light transmitting and diffusing shade be tween the lighting element and the supporting elements, and a bowl beneath the lighting element and connected to the supporting elements, said bowl having its periphery of greater size than the periphery of the shade to thereby provide an annular opening between the bowl and the shade, whereby light rays passing downwardly from the lighting element and upwardly from the bowl pass outwardly through said space, substantially as described.

ESMOND M. SMITH. Witnesses:

FRANCES M. Fnos'r, THOMAS A. BANNING, Jr. 

